Headlight.



F1 P. MAGLEAN.

HEADLIGHT. APPLIGATION FILED JUNE13, 191a.

29/ new 70R.

V TTORA'EY.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915 by v 1 F H A r L Ill) FREDEIGK F. MACLEAN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

HEADLIGHT.

icence.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mining, 1915..

Application filed June 13, 1913. Serial No. 773,438.

To an whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, FRED'RIOK F. MAo- LEAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga', in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Headlights, of --which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improve 4 merits in headlights for automobiles, motorboats and other vehicles and refers more particularly to means operable at will from the side of the vehicle for intercepting and deflecting the reflected rays of light below the direct line of vision of an approaching pedestrian, chines so as to obviate as far as possible the inconvenience, dangers and accidents resulting from the temporary blinding effect of such light'and, in so far as this broad object is concerned, is somewhat similar to the devices shown in my pending applications Nos. 723,341 filed October 1, 1912 and 7%,319 filed February 5, 191.3.

Aside from the broad ob3ects previously mentioned, the specific purpose of my prescut invention is to shift themovable reflector relatively to the axis of the case by means of an electric motor and suitable connections located entirely within the said case and adapted to be set in motion at will by a suitable reversing switch located within easy reaching distance from the seat of the vehicle for shifting the movable reflector in reverse directions.

Another object is to provide simple means for automatically disconnect ng the driving connections between thej inotor and movable reflector when the latter has been shifted to predetermined limits'of movement in either direction and, at the same time, to allow the movable reflector tobe stopped'and held at any intermediate position.

A still further object is to provide the front of the case with a suitable door capable of being swung from either side to permit access to the lamp or reflector for adjustment or repairs.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings-Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front elevation and a side eleation of a headlight embodying the various features of my invention. Figs. 3 and i are respectively a longitudinal sectional horse and drivers of other maview and a horizontal sectional view taken on lines 2-2, Fig. 1, and 3-3, Fig. 2, except that a portion of the removable refiector is broken away in Fig. 4:. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the motor showing-the worm on'the motor shaft and worm gear which it is adapted to drive and constitute a part of the means for transmitting motion to the movable reflector. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view through one of the hinged connections between the door and case.

This reflector comprises a suitable closing case lof sheet metal consisting, in this instapce, of a circular front section -2 and a conical rear section 3- telescoping within the rear end of the front section and.

locked thereto by one or more pins or screws -4l constituting a part of what is known as a bayonet lock to hold the sections in fixed relation against endwise movement when adjusted for use and at the same time permitting the rear section to be easily and quickly removed for inspection or repairs of the interior mechanism. The entire case -1-, therefore constitutes a hollow sheet metal shell of sufficient size to receive a relatively stationary reflector --5-', a movable reflector l3- and an electric motor 7- together with suitable means for transmitting motion fromthe electric motor to the movable reflector as will be hereinafter more fully described.

A cross bar or bracket -8 has its opposite ends permanently secured to and within the rear end of the front case section -'2- while its intermediate portion projects into the front end of the rear section 3 forreceiving and supporting the electric motor 7 which is attached thereto by suitable fastenir g means as screws -9-.

The front end of the case section 2- is somewhat larger than the corresponding end of the rear section so as to leave ample space for the reception of the relatively stationary reflector -5- together with an incandescent electric lamp -1()- and a flat transparent front plate 1'1 and also the movable reflector -6. The marginal edge of the glass plate 11'- is mounted in a circular metal frame -12 which in turn is secured by brazing or other suitable fastening means to an annular door frame 1 3-, the latter being fitted. in a circular opening in the front of the ,case section 2. This door frame is provided with diametrically opposite hinged strips or sec tions -14 which are connected by removable hinged pins -15' to corresponding hinged strips or sections l6 on the adjacent portions of the case section -2 so that by removing either one of the pins, the door frame; together with the glass plate l1 thereon may be swung open to permit access to the lamp l0- for renewal 10 or repairs.

The marginal edge of the stationary reflector 5- is secured in a circular frame 17 which in turn is rigidly secured by brazing or other fastening means to the inner face of the front of the case section -.-2 around the door opening and is provided with a central socket -l8- in its apex for receiving an electric lamp l0, the latter being supplied with current from 20 any suitable source through conductors The movable relicctor -6- is preferably made of polished sheet metal in approximately the form of a quarter sphere and is movable through a circular slot -20- into and out of the headlight case 1-- and across the upper half of the stationary reflector 5 and glass plate -11- so that, when adjusted forwardly, it will intercept the reflected rays from the upper half of the stationary reflector and reflect the light downwardly and rearwardly and for this purpose the movable reflector -6- is hinged at the center to its arc b hinged pins -2l to brackets,-22- which are rigidly secured-by brazing or other fastening means to the inner faces of diametrically opposite sides of the case section 2 as shown more clearly in Fig. 4:. These 40 hinged ins are secured to and preferably integral with a semi-circular spring wire bail --.23- of slightly greater diameter than the concave-convex portion of the sta tionary reflector 5- around the lower part of which it is extended so as to normally lie flat against the marginal. flange of said stationary reflector leaving suliicient clearance between the inner ends of the hinged pins -9i-- and adjacent portions of the stationary reflector to allow the ends of the spring belt to be pressed against its own tension for withdrawing the hinged pins from engagement with the movable reflector to permit the removal of said reflector whennecessary and also to facilitate the assembling of said movable reflector in operative position without screws or bolts;

The movable reflector -G- is provided on its front or lower edge with a semi-circulai marginal flange -24 forming a stop to limit its rearward swingin movement andalso serving to cover the slot to prevent the entrance of dust and other foreign matter when the movable reflector is in its normal position or withdrawn into the case.

-plane of the flange The rear'portion' of the movable rfle'ctdr is also provided with an additional semi-annular flange 25 around the exterior thereof at substantially right angles to the 24lto form a stop for engaging the inner face of the surrounding portion of the front of the case section and thereby limiting the outward swinging movement of said movable section to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thereby additionally covering the slot -20- when the reflector -6- is adjusted for use. As previously stated, the electric motor 7 is mounted within the case l and rigidly secured to the bracket 8 for sup- 0 porting it free of the rear case settion 3. The armature shaft of the motor is provided with a worm -2(3- meshing with a worm gear -27-lmving a portion of its teeth cut away to form a recess 28-- of slightly greater circumferential length than. that of the worm --26-, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, the teeth of the worm and gear being substantially V-shape so as to afford a comparatively deep intermcshing engagement. The object of this recess -28- is to prevent the operation of the gear more than one revolution at a time. The gear -27- is mounted upon the rear end of a forwardly extending shaft -29-' having its forwardend provided with a pinion -30,- meshing with a toothed segment 3l which is rigidly secured by rivets, brazing or otherwise to one side of the movable reflector -6- coaxial with its pivotal pins -2l so that when the motor is operated similar rotary motion will be transmitted to the movable reflector.

Suitable means is provided for causing the teeth of the gear 27- to engage or 05 mesh with the worm -26 when the latter is registered with the recess 2S and for this purpose I have provided one face of the gear with a laterally projecting lug -32- against which bears one end of a 1 10 flat spring -33- having its opposite end secured to a stationary support -3 lupon and within the rear case section -3-. That is the free end of the spring -33- lies in the path of movement of the lug -32-- and 11;, is arranged so that when the gear is rotating in one direction, as for example in the direction indicated by arrow X, Fig; 5, one end of the lug 32 will engage the spring and place it under tension at about the same time that the recess 28- registers with the hiiorm -26-,* thereby causing the last tooth in advance of the recess to be pressed against the corresponding end of the worm ready to engage said worm when the motor is reversed for reversing the operation of the gear and thereby reversing the operation of the movable section -6-'-. The pinion --30- and its segment .3l are so proportioned as to cause tin: movable reflector 6-- to move through an arc of substantially 90 or from one extreme osition to another at each revolution 0 the mutilated gear 27 first in one direction and then in the opposite direction according to the direction of rotation of the motor armature which may be controlled in a manner well known to those skilled in that art. For example, in Fig. 5, the worm gear --27 is shown as just having completed one revolution and stoppedby the registration of the recess 28,with the worm -26- bringing. one end of the lug ---32- against thespring -'33- for moaging tile reflector 6- forwardly and downward to intercept the upper half of'the rays 0 light from a stationary reflector and to simultaneously reflect such light downwardly and rearwardly on the pavement directly in front of the machine some distance to the rear thereof which not only prevents the blinding of approaching horses and drivers of other vehicles and also'pedestrians but also enables the downwardly and rearwardly reflected rays of light to be used in making repairs upon or under the machine which could not be accomplished by any reflector located wholly within the case" The wires, as -38-, leading from the motor and also those leading from the lamp are brought out through one side of the rear case section -3 through an insulating bushing 39 and may be connected to any source of electric energy on the vehicle through the medium of a suitable reversing switch (not shown) but which will be located within'easy reaching distance. 7 from the seat of the driver.

After moving the reflector 6- forwardly to its operative position, as reviously described, it may be withdrawn into the case by the reverse action of the moto registered with the worm -26, thereby causing the tooth at the opposite side of the recess to rest against the worm ready for a repetition ,of the forward movement irection as soon as the recess --28-- is again of the movable reflector .6 when desired.

What I claim is:

tionary reflector within the case, 'a moyableg reflector operating through an o the front side of the case aroun "15 1. A headlight comprising a case, flg stfla" the outside of the stationary reflector, and m eans for operating the movable reflector.

2. A headlight comprising a case having a circular slot in its front side, a reflector movable in said slot and provided with stops cooperating with the case for limiting its motor within the case, and means for transmitting motion from the motor to the refiector. 3. A headlight comprising a case having an opening in its front end, a reflector movable in said opening into the case and beyond\the front end thereof, an electric motor i ithin the case, a worm on the armature shaft of'tlie motor, a mutilated worm gear meshing with said worm, and means for transmitting motion from the worm gear to the reflector.

In witness whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand this 3rd day of June, 1913.

FREDRICK F. MAOYJEAN. Witnesses:

H. E. CHAsn, EVA E; GREENLEAr'.

at inward and outward movement, an electric 

